golf

Mann and Griffin have brought swing analysis into the computer age. Using video of over 100 PGA, LPGA, and Senior PGA tour pros, the authors constructed a composite, digitized "Pro" who exemplifies the best swing characteristics of tour players. Each chapter explains the characteristics of a given swing position or movement first. Following this, the authors present drills to aid the reader in perfecting that phase of the swing. Each chapter then concludes with an examination of the most frequent errors, keyed to the drills that will correct that error. Despite the high tech nature of the swing model, the good news is that the book is an easy read. Unlike "The Golfing Machine" or "The Search for the Perfect Swing" the language is clear. The artwork is detailed in presenting the model swing, as it should be. The training aids recommended by the authors are simple to find, inexpensive, and easy to use. I would recommend this book to any player who is serious about improving his or her swing.

A++++. This book can be difficult at times but if you don't try to read things into what it is saying it's great. The section on grip and shoulder position alone should have you striking the ball solidly after a couple buckets. The grip section is by far the best explaination I have read on the grip to date. And the shoulder section exposes the need to have your shoulders slightly open so your can move easily through the ball. Slicers beware, that is shoulders slightly open and you still have to learn to release the club head. But the new grip should help that. Basically I have quit lessons at a Jim Flick golf school after two years of being taught his "developmental swing" and in two months dropped my handicap index from 19.7 to 11.7 and I should break 10 with another good round. For me this book answered the questions my Pro couldn't or wouldn't. My favorite new trick is backing the ball up on the green. With the grip taught in this book hitting the ball with a descending blow is now easy and almost natural.

Buyer beware. Check this out from a library before you buy it. I have the First Edition, publ. by Broadway Books, New York, NY. The inside copyright page says it "Includes index" above the ISBN number. Well my book doesn't and I could really use an Index. :-(

Second, it's well organized and illustrated; you absolutely need lots of pictures to help with explanations of something like a golf swing. I like how the he compares the "Pro" and an actual human being in the illustrations, and also, how he uses shading of the muscles or a secondary view for emphasis. Very well done.

Third, what I don't like is an error I found in the text (p.167 refers to photos on p.166). In the text on p.167, where he talks about "Position 3" the author says, "Your hips should be wide open to the target (a 45-degree angle) and your shoulders should be parallel to the target." Well I'm sorry, but his shoulders are not parallel to the target but clearly, clearly, at 45-degrees in my photo (Fig 6-22, middle photo). Is it the text or the photo that's wrong? It's really important to know this.

Fourth, what kind of swing is Dr. Mann advocating? On p. 200 in the section "A C IS BETTER THAN AVERAGE" he tells us that a reverse-C finish is "the 'look' you want." ? This ticked me off; I buy the book, start reading from the front, and then get to this advice. I thought the reverse-C finish was passe? That's what you don't to do anymore, it's bad for the lower back, right? And in fact, that's what I was doing and wanted to get away from! So I didn't go any further after that. I can't sell it because I made too many highlights and notes for anyone to want it.

The rest is okay. He provides a good description and illustrations of setups, ball positions, etc. I especially like where he talks about the "IMPORTANCE OF THE SQUAT" on p. 127. This finally helped me understand what the "squat" really is; however, what benefit that has had for my golf swing, I don't know--at least I can't notice any.

That's all folks.